Indigenous voters in Minnesota should feel confident using their tribal ID for Election Day registration

[RandySF]

Early voting started in the state on Sept. 20 and continues until the day before Election Day. Registered voters in the state don’t have to show an ID when they cast their ballot, but people who are registering to vote or are first time voters do need a form of ID.

Several types of identification can be used to prove residency, including a driver’s license or U.S. passport. Native people who are citizens of one of 11 federally recognized tribal nations in Minnesota can use their tribal ID, which is issued by their tribal government, to register to vote in-person.

Earlier this year, the non-partisan organization IllumiNative gave grants to six organizations in six states including Minnesota to talk about the importance of voting in Indigenous communities. In Minneapolis, the Native American Community Development Organization received money for their campaign, “Make Voting a Tradition.”

The campaign is educating community members about who’s on the ballot, sharing what some of the issues are and getting people registered to vote. Part of getting registered to vote is, in the words of Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, proving you are who you say you are.



https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/10/25/indigenous-voters-in-minnesota-should-feel-confident-using-their-tribal-id-for-election-day

[Ocelot II]

1. I remember the 2004 election when the MN Secretary of State at the time,

Mary Kiffmeyer (a Republican, of course), tried very hard to keep Native people in Minnesota from using their tribal IDs to register to vote if they lived outside the reservation (many living off the rez in Minneapolis). The ACLU and the NCAI sued and won, just before the election that year. Driving through the Red Lake reservation a few weeks ago I noticed a number of Harris signs; no Trump signs. The GOP doesn't want Native people to vote.